Docklands
Apartment living defines Docklands: 98.0% of homes are apartments and only 0.5% are separate houses, so the suburb operates more like a high-rise precinct than a traditional Melbourne neighbourhood. Its 15,495 residents are young, with a median age of 32, which is 8.0 years below the national figure. Compared with nearby Southbank and West Melbourne, Docklands stands out for a renter-majority profile, with 68.8% renting, a 24.3% vacancy rate and 67.4% born overseas, 45.8 percentage points above national levels.
Population
15,495
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,957/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
241
Homebuyers should treat Docklands as an apartment market, not a house market: 98.0% of dwellings are apartments, 0.5% are separate houses and no meaningful median house price is available. The stock suits singles, couples and compact households because 54.5% of homes have 2 bedrooms and 33.6% have 0 or 1 bedroom. Holding costs look manageable relative to income, with a $2,000 monthly mortgage and mortgage costs at 23.6% of income, below typical stress thresholds for many buyers.
For Buyers
Homebuyers should treat Docklands as an apartment market, not a house market: 98.0% of dwellings are apartments, 0.5% are separate houses and no meaningful median house price is available. The stock suits singles, couples and compact households because 54.5% of homes have 2 bedrooms and 33.6% have 0 or 1 bedroom. Holding costs look manageable relative to income, with a $2,000 monthly mortgage and mortgage costs at 23.6% of income, below typical stress thresholds for many buyers.
For Investors
Investors get deep tenant demand but above-average supply risk. Renters make up 68.8% of households and the weekly rent is $411, while the 24.3% vacancy rate is high enough to pressure incentives and lease-up times. Development remains active, with 253 applications in 12 months, so competition can rise quickly. The counterweight is population demand: overseas migration averages 1,006 net people a year, compared with net internal migration of -330, keeping the tenant pool replenished.
Development Activity
Total DAs
358
Last 12 Months
241
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+111.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$27.5M
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Docklands iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Docklands Primary School
Prep-6 · 616 students
Demographics
Docklands is shaped by young, highly educated and internationally connected residents. The median age is 32, 8.0 years below the national benchmark, while 64.5% hold a university qualification, 34.4 percentage points above national levels. Overseas-born residents account for 67.4%, with Chinese ancestry at 3,411 people and Indian ancestry at 2,023. Household size is 1.8, 0.7 below national, because apartments and rental mobility favour singles and couples over larger families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
0.5%
Houses
1.4%
Townhouse
98.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is almost entirely vertical, so the missing median house price is a signal in itself rather than a gap for buyers seeking land. Apartments account for 98.0% of dwellings, while 68.8% of households rent, 18.5% have a mortgage and 12.7% own outright. The bedroom mix is compact, with 54.5% 2-bedroom and 33.6% 0 or 1-bedroom homes. Compared with detached-house suburbs, affordability is driven more by rent and body-corporate style costs, with rent at 21.0% of income and mortgages at 23.6%.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$411
HH Size
1.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,182
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
24.3%
Unoccupied
2,425
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
55.8%
Couples, no children
9,024
Total families
Economy & Employment
Docklands has a high-skill workforce but mixed economic-resource signals. Professional and tech roles employ 2,010 people, or 25.6%, followed by finance at 898 and healthcare at 649. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 3,988 people, and full-time work is strong at 73.2%, although unemployment sits at 7.4%. SEIFA explains the contrast: education and occupation ranks in decile 10 and advantage-disadvantage in decile 9, while economic resources are decile 1 because renting, students and newer migrant households reduce stored wealth.
Unemployment
2.3%
Labour Force
14,053
Unemployed
325
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
73.2%
Part-time
19.4%
Participation
66.8%
Employed
8,840
Occupations
Top Industries
University
64.5%
Postgraduate
22.9%
Born Overseas
67.4%
Dwellings
7,530
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for residents who value walking, compact homes and inner-city access. Walking and cycling account for 30.0% of commutes, far above many car-based suburbs, while 56.6% still drive and 8.7% use public transport. Schooling is limited locally but clear: 1 school, Docklands Primary School, is government-run with 616 enrolments and an ICSEA of 1133, so the ICSEA range is 1133 to 1133. Safety is the trade-off, with 4,610 offences and 297.5 crimes per 1,000, despite an IRSAD decile 9 advantage profile.
Drive
56.6%
Public Transport
8.7%
Walk / Cycle
30.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+4.27%/yr
(+817 people/yr)
High GrowthDocklands is still in a high-growth phase. The forecast trend adds 817 people a year, equal to 4.27% annual growth, which is higher than mature inner suburbs with limited new supply. The main driver is overseas migration, averaging 1,006 net people annually, while internal migration averages -330, showing residents also cycle out to other areas. The medium trend-continuation path reaches 24,329 people by 2031, and gentrification is scored 0 with the stage labelled New development rather than displacement-led change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+1,006
Net Internal / yr
-330
Gentrification Signal
New development
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
4,610
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
297.5
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Docklands compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Docklands a good suburb to live in?
Docklands suits apartment-focused residents who want density, walking options and a young population. Apartments make up 98.0% of dwellings, the median age is 32 and 30.0% of commuters walk or cycle, but the 297.5 crimes per 1,000 rate needs consideration.
What is the median house price in Docklands?
A reliable median house price is not available because Docklands is overwhelmingly an apartment market. Separate houses make up only 0.5% of dwellings, while apartments account for 98.0%, so buyers should assess apartment sales rather than detached-house benchmarks.
What schools are in Docklands?
Docklands has 1 local school: Docklands Primary School. It is a government primary school with 616 enrolments and an ICSEA of 1133, so local primary access is present, while secondary and additional sector choice generally require looking outside the suburb.
Is Docklands safe?
Docklands records a high crime rate of 297.5 offences per 1,000 people, with 4,610 total offences. Property and deception offences are the largest category at 3,033, so residents should factor building security, parking and street-level activity into their decision.
Is Docklands good for property investment?
Docklands can work for investors who price vacancy and supply risk carefully. Renters are 68.8% of households and weekly rent is $411, but vacancy is high at 24.3% and 253 development applications in 12 months point to ongoing competition.
How is Docklands's population changing?
Docklands is growing quickly, with the trend adding 817 people a year, or 4.27% annually. The medium forecast reaches 24,329 people by 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration of 1,006 net people a year despite -330 net internal migration.
What languages are spoken in Docklands?
Docklands has a strongly multilingual profile, with 67.4% of residents born overseas. Mandarin is the largest listed non-English language at 1,029 speakers, followed by Hindi at 392, Cantonese at 237, Arabic at 172 and Korean at 137.
What development is happening in Docklands?
Development activity remains substantial, with 253 applications lodged in 12 months. Recent examples include signage permits and subdivision-related planning work, reflecting a precinct that continues to evolve through commercial fit-outs, apartment assets and mixed-use sites.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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